Blind Ambition
by Morte Lise
Summary: Toph, taken prisoner by the Fire Nation, has a heart to heart conversation with her mysterious cellmate. It's pretty pathetic that the blind girl can see the light better than you can. Toph X ?
1. Prisoner of the Fire Nation

This is a Toph-centric fanfiction because frankly, I watched the episode and thought she kicked butt like nobody's business. I know I'm not the only one. …Hopefully.

The pairing is pretty random, but first of all, Toph was just introduced, so pretty much any pairing with her in it would be at least a little random; and second of all, I've seen odder ones out there. I will not name them, for fear of the rabid fangirls.

Um…read and enjoy?

Disclaimer: Owning Avatar would imply that I actually have some ability to draw. Do I? I think not.

_Prisoner of the Fire Nation_

Toph practiced earth-bending alone. It wasn't that she didn't _trust_ Aang and his friends—the habit was born of years of concealing the gift from her father; her _dear_, _over protective_, _over bearing_ father, who, no doubt, was throwing around his mountains of gold every which way just to get his darling daughter back. His child. His treasure. His _pet_. Now that she was out in the world, Toph couldn't help but wonder what had taken her so long to leave.

Since the early days of her training, the blind girl had taken to sneaking quietly away in the dead of night to hone her techniques. It was a glorious feeling, to be alone in the silence and simply _listen_ and _feel_. Sometimes, it had almost felt like true freedom.

Never in the days of her double-life as the "blind helpless daughter" and the Blind Bandit had she dreamed that the hobby would lead to her downfall. Despite her resentment of it, Toph had taken her father's security system for granted.

That, and she'd simply forgotten how many enemies the Avatar could make.

She counted twenty soldiers before they tried to attack her. It was futile, of course, and she'd even gotten in the time to laugh at them as she bent the very ground beneath them to her will and cast them from her with a careless wave of the hand. They came back for seconds only moments later, and she began the dangerous dance that never failed to make her blood sing, her sightless eyes light up in an ecstatic glow.

Fighting made her feel so alive.

They did not rush her at once this time, and three soldiers preceded the others. She shifted positions, ready to protect herself should the enemy have any weapons. Toph slammed her foot into the ground, causing earth to erupt forth from the surface and toss the trio to the side like a careless child would a doll.

The battle went on for what seemed like hours, and soon her arms began to ache from the strain. There were simply too many of them—ironically, facing fellow earth-benders was an easier task, for she could better sense their attacks. Finally, she allowed one opponent to get close enough to get a good glimpse of her.

A gasp of surprise. "The kid's _blind_," a low bass voice rumbled in amazement. A pause from some of the other soldiers and several mutters of incredulity. Toph bared her teeth in a grimace. So she was blind. It didn't make her any weaker than those idiots. She gestured, and a mad dust storm blew away the speaker with an angry screech.

Her _disability_ made her more capable than _any_ of them.

And yet, she _lost_. _She_ lost. The Earth Rumble _champion_!

It wasn't that she couldn't have won. She could have. She _should_ have.

She didn't.

Why not?

Five minutes after their discovery, one of the Fire Nation soldiers finally got wise and attacked her in a way she couldn't sense.

He threw a metal ball. It hit her in the head and knocked her out.

Yes. She, Toph, the Mighty Earth-Bender, had been defeated by a metal ball.

A METAL BALL! A dastardly, spherical device of doom that should not be allowed in the hands of even the smallest of children—

Okay, she was calm. Barely conscious, too, but that was beside the point. As her senses returned to her she concentrated, trying to feel her way around her surroundings—

She couldn't. With no small amount of horror, Toph realized that the walls and ceiling and floor surrounding her were not made, in any way, of stone.

They were made of metal. Cold, unfeeling, _dead_ metal, and ohmygod she couldn't _see_. She scrambled around her prison, extending her hands helplessly in front of her and stumbling like the _invalid_ her parents thought she was. Her fingers brushed against something lightly. Bars. No, _no_, nononono—it wasn't just her _cell_ that was made of metal, the entire _room_ was. Hysteria built up in the girl's chest until she couldn't take it anymore. She screamed.

The scream vibrated against the metal walls, echoing and throwing the sound of her own voice back at her mockingly; reminding her of her earlier years, before she'd discovered her bending, when her father had to hold her hand just so she could get out of bed and go to the bathroom in the morning. Right. She was a perfectly capable person. All she had to do is be patient, and the answer would come.

…Toph had never been very patient in those sorts of situations.

Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long before the door opened. The heavy footfall of a Fire Nation soldier reached her ears, and she didn't let a moment pass by before launching into a verbal assault.

"Hey, _tin head_! Let me out of here!"

There was a low, mocking laugh. "Not a chance, Blindy. Ya may look like a twig, but we've seen what you can do."

"_Blindy_?" Toph repeated scathingly. "Is that really the best you can do? You're so _lame_, you know that?"

A growl came from the back of the man's throat. "As much as I'd love to punish you myself right now, you're getting off easy this time, brat."

"Lucky me," the girl sneered.

There was a sound of shrieking metal hinges, and a dull thud as the soldier threw what was presumably a second body into the cell next to hers. "Oh, don't worry, kid, you two aren't in for a very long wait." The footfall headed in the direction of what Toph assumed was the door. She bit her lip.

"H-hey, wait! Aren't you even going to let a poor blind girl know who you've stuck her in here with?"

The man laughed again, this one even more mocking than the last. "Oh, it's just someone who's long, _long_ overdue for a family reunion."

The door slammed shut, and as the last vibrations faded into nothing, Toph was left in the darkness once more.

Well. That was a short chapter. I'm not used to short chapters, but…for this story I think it fits. Bleh, I have bad luck with multi-chapter fics, though…

Kudos to whoever can guess Toph's cellmate, although I don't think I made it terribly difficult to figure out. Please read and review, and I will try my very hardest to update soon. Hopefully, the short chapters will assure that I do.

…Oh, and I accept constructive criticism, but flames will be sent to—no, not Zuko—Katara, who will promptly douse them and then flog you within an inch of your life. So there.


	2. The Blind Bandit and the Irate Wonder

I must begin by announcing that sadly, you are all wrong.

Toph's roommate is, in fact, Iroh.

…

Okay, that was a joke. JOKE, I tell you! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE! LET ME REPEAT IN CAPITALS THAT I'M KIDDING SO YOU DON'T GO AWAY! Phew. Er, not that there's anything wrong with Iroh, other than the fact that I labeled this romance, and…well, you know. Yes, it's Zuko. I saw the way that Toph's father treated her and immediately thought "PARALLELS!" Thus, this fanfic was born. Sadly, this chapter is mostly dialogue, because I'm telling the story from Toph's perspective, and lack of visuals pretty much cuts the action and scenery descriptions in half.

And now, I'd like to take a moment to thank the Little People.

…Just kidding.

Still, thank you so much, all you wonderful reviewers.

To starvoidangel, experiment, anOinteD4eVa826, Kelzu, and The Lost Hibiki: Yup, it's Zuko all right—in all his angsty, teenage glory. I'm so glad you all think I made Toph in character. That's always been a big thing for me, especially with random interactions like these. It's always so much more fun to throw two characters in a room and see how they get along as themselves, rather than if they're…I don't know…high or something. Well, writing it is, anyway. I don't mind reading the occasional bout of insanity myself. I can only hope I have the same luck with keeping Zuko IC. So THANK YOU SO MUCH!

To Gigawolf1: Wow, I'd really rather not think of what he'd do with the flames in there. All the rich 'benders' seem to have slightly complicated pasts—Yue almost died at birth, Toph is blind, and Zuko's dad threw him out. I look forward to reading your story!

To Rashaka: Thanks for the compliment AND quasi-criticism! Yes, I agree with you on their similar backgrounds—that's part of what prompted me to write this. As for the romance aspect, I can see where you're coming from and I agree. When I labeled it "Romance," I didn't mean strictly cute, fluffy, kissing romance (watch me lose most of my reviewers just for SAYING that). The relationship I try to build in this is up for interpretation—I just have issues with labeling my story as "General" because it's too…well…general. There weren't enough laughs to qualify it as "Humor" and Toph isn't about to let Zuko turn it into "Angst." What I hope to get out of this isn't so much a dating relationship as a very close bond. Which can then turn into a more romantic relationship. You know, when Toph is older and it isn't so creepy anymore.

To Moonlight-Milkyway: Yes, Toph and Zuko. Wrong? Hehe. We shall see. Fear my love of random, irrational pairings.

C.A.M.E.O1 and Only: Yep. Yes it is.

The Abriter: Sorry, it's Zuko… I have no problem with Aang/Toph, but this story…isn't. Sorry.

XxLilyNGxX: Yay, someone else who agrees with me! Siblings isn't quite it, but it's similar…I just love how well they could relate to one another. Many thanks for all the compliments!

Heavenly Sword: Yeah, Iroh is amazing…but alas, it is not him. Sorry…but he's sure to get mentioned many a time by Zuko…for he is too awesome to be left out of any story!

And, once again, for I am truly grateful: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

…

Wow, wouldn't it be so depressing if the author's note turned out to be longer than the chapter?

Disclaimer: Yeah, that show Avatar? Not mine. Although I'm probably a big enough loser that I'd write fanfiction for it even if I DID.

* * *

_The Blind Bandit and the Irate Wonder_

Toph sat there for a very long time, listening to the soldiers clanking around in the room above her cell, and the shallow breathing of her unconscious cellmate. The person in question took in the air in ragged breaths.

So, he—she?—had put up a fight.

Good for him.

It was a good half hour before the breathing pattern changed, indicating that her mystery-mate was waking. The prisoner groaned softly, and Toph continued to listen.

Male then, huh?

There was a moment of silence, after which he quietly began to swear. The voice was not deep, though it was still lower than both Aang and Sokka's. Teenager, she decided.

An _angry_ and _creative_ teenager, she amended, as she listened to the profanity. Wow, could you _do_ that with a spear?

Still, her cellmate—whoever he was—provided Toph with three things she craved dearly: attention, entertainment, and _sound_. Well, maybe not the first one so much just yet, but the third had always been the important one for her, especially since her precious earth had been taken away. The two provided her with the little sight she possessed—images that most of the world took for granted.

Finally, the string of curses subsided, and there was a small lapse before a sudden metallic clang made the earth-bender jerk, startled. A final—and decidedly loud—swear followed before the boy took a step backward and flopped to the ground with an incensed hiss.

Toph pursed her lips shut.

Must resist temptation…he's the only one in here with you, Toph, don't make him angry. Stay still, stay quiet, don't comment, don't say a word—don't do it don'tdoitdon'tdoit—

"Nice vocabulary and all, but I don't think the bars are gonna melt from _embarrassment_. You might want to try something more productive, like banging your _hard head_ against them."

…Darn. She'd done it. Ugh, she'd spent too many years in the arena—now she was baiting _everyone_ she met outside of the Bei Fong grounds.

"Be quiet." The boy's voice was confident and prideful—and icy cold. But there was a passion burning beneath that feigned indifference, like a flame smoldering under a thin layer of ice. Sooner or later it would burn hot enough to melt that ice, breaking through to blaze in all its temperamental glory.

Yep. This guy was _definitely_ a hot-head.

"Make me," she replied, purposely immature. She turned her head in the direction of the voice, sticking out her tongue and scrunching her eyes shut in a comical, pouting grimace. This was partially to further rile up the boy, and partially to hide the moon-tainted color of her eyes. The last thing she needed at the moment was pity from a fellow _prisoner_.

"If you force me to, I will," he replied flatly.

"I'd really love to see you try," Toph shot back, purposely turning away from him as she resumed her normal expression and tried idly to pinpoint his accent. He was no citizen of the Earth Kingdom, that much was certain—at least, not anywhere close to her hometown. Likewise, it didn't seem to match what she'd heard of Sokka and Katara's speech—although for all she knew, the members of the Water Tribe in the North Pole sounded completely different. She rather hoped that the latter was true—because if it wasn't, that only left…well…

A sudden blast of heat answered her question and she yelped, darting backward clumsily (cursed _metal_) until she slammed painfully into the bars on the opposite side of her cell. The blind earth-bender slumped there briefly, wincing at the dull, aching pain in her shoulder blades.

Fire Nation after all. And a _bender_, to boot. What luck she had.

"Be quiet," the boy repeated, although there was the faintest note of satisfaction added to his voice this time. Toph scowled.

"No," she said stubbornly. "Look, if you want to get all moody and angry and quiet, go ahead, but _you're_ just as _stuck_ here as _I_ am, so don't even _think_ about trying to control me!" She stomped her foot into the ground with an irate finality and prayed he didn't try to roast her again.

"Fine!" he snapped, and there was once again silence.

Toph laced her fingers together and idly began twiddling her thumbs. Perhaps she'd taken it too far. After all, there was only so long she could provide herself with her own entertainment, and voicing her thoughts out loud not only made her sound slightly deranged but announced them to her surly roommate as well.

Speaking of the hot-head, she was beginning to think he was pretty annoying.

"So, you got a name?" Toph asked finally, as desperation born of sheer boredom set in. She made a valient attempt to sound at least vaguely civil. _Anything_ for some sort of conversation.

No answer. The blind girl scowled to herself. Okay, fine. Civil wasn't working. Was he really still upset about a five-second spat they'd had fifteen minutes earlier? Talk about immature.

The scowl morphed into a sly smirk. Well, if civil wasn't working...

"Are you..._sulking_?" she inquired innocently. "Funny, I'd think that would be _below_ someone like you, but I guess I was _wrong_..."

Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she could swear she heard him grinding his teeth. She grinned to herself. Oh, this was going to be _fun._

"You know," she continued, trying to gage his reaction as she spoke, "if you're not going to tell me your name, I'll just have to give you one. Let's see…what would be a good name for you? Cell-boy…nah, that's boring. Hot Head? Too cliché. Hmm, think, think… I know! The Irate Wonder! Yeah, that would be _perfect_! It's like a really bad Earth Rumble alias! 'Course, I don't know how wonderful you can _be_ if you got caught by _these_ floozies…"

Snap.

And that would be the sound of cellmate boy's self-restraint going out the metaphorical window. A second burst of heat was exchanged between the cells, and Toph's mouth sealed itself shut.

"What does it take to get you to be quiet!" the boy shouted, his temper making itself known for the first—and likely not the last, if she'd judged him correctly—time.

"Buy me an ostrich-horse," she said instantly.

Silence.

"…You don't have a sense of humor, do you?" Toph sighed in disappointment. Well, didn't that just beat all. Even Sokka the Belt-Stealer could take a joke.

"No," he replied flatly.

"Great," the earthbender pronounced gloomily. "Not only am I stuck in prison, but I'm with a loser." A snarl came from the other cell, and Toph winced. The whole firebending business was wearing thin. "So, um, why don't you just firebend your way out of this, Irate Wonder?"

A frustrated sigh. "Do you really think the Fire Nation would make cells weak enough to be melted by their own benders? And don't even think about referring to me as something so belittling—my name is Zuko."

"I'll call you what I want," Toph shot back, secretly celebrating that she'd managed to extract _some_ information from the obviously stubborn teen. "I'm Toph."

"I didn't ask for your name."

"Well I gave it anyway!" Toph snapped. That creep! Why, if she had even a mound of dirt, she'd show that single-minded, self-centered Fire Nation _lackey_ what bending _really_ meant—Ehem. Well. She didn't. And she'd just have to deal with that, and try not to get fried in the process. Geez, these soldiers didn't really seem to value her much as a prisoner, did they?

"Fine."

"Fine!" yelled the blind girl unnecessarily. She gave a small huff of annoyance, folded her arms, and settled in a corner of her small prison.

Silence once again filled the cell.

* * *

…And here I shall end it, due to writer's block and the fact that I've taken several weeks longer than I thought I'd have to on the bloody thing. It's not my fault! …Not completely, anyway. My dad cut the cable line while trimming a rosebush and we've been without internet access for a while. I kid you not.

Hopefully, the next chapter will come sooner, because no one's trimming any rosebushes any time soon, and school is over. So, hurrah.

This story is officially vaguely AU, in light of the episodes The Chase and Bitter Works...oh well. I hope you enjoy anyway. Please review!

Sigh. I really do hope I kept Zuko in character…


	3. The Many Forms of Silence

HOLY…SOMETHING OR OTHER! Where in blue wonder did I go RIGHT? Thirty reviews for the second chapter. I'm totally in shock.

Um…I really do apologize for taking so long…again…, but when I get writer's block…well…I _really_ get writer's block. You have no idea how grateful I am that you people are so patient.

…Please, by the powers that be, may you be patient people.

I'm really worried about how this chapter turned out, actually. I fear they may be somewhat out of character…it's been a while and I've been reading fanfiction more than watching the show recently (I did manage to watch and tape the movie premier, though). Although, in Zuko's case, please keep in mind that his own people are holding him captive and you can only interpret his attitude from Toph's point of view. So…yeah.

And now, to properly thank and respond to all you wonderful reviewing people.

To starvoidangel, Clearheart, foreverlost101, The Lost Hibiki, dianarules55, Xerxes93, storm-of-insanity, lolilaughed, Rae-Anime-Neko, Denisen, Freaky Person O.o, and Firework: I totally don't mean to belittle any of your reviews by doing this huge…mass thanks thing, but I'd rather give you a somewhat lengthy expression of my gratitude than a bunch of short little monotonous 'thank you's. Instead, I give you one big GIANT monotonous thank you! YAY! Thank you so much for the compliments, really. And…hey look! An update! You may not be shocked, but I am. Also, my obsessive nature is extremely pleased that you seemed to think I kept them both in character. That is extremely important to me. I'm especially glad that you seem to think the Toph perspective is actually working. So happy… So…I suppose I shall give you one more giant thank you for the road. THANK YOU!

To Hotspur: We are a rare breed, are we not? Fear not, the fandom shall grow in time…hopefully. Dude, your story is amazing…no fair…I want your writing style… I go to review it now and feel guilty for not doing so sooner. I lamely excuse myself by stating that I am a procrastinator. So thanks very much and YOU ROCK!

Tortured Artist: Er…wow. Thank you, it's not often that the comments come all the way down to the word choice, but it makes me happy that it does. Writing is a passion of mine, so that is truly a compliment.

Sifu Toph/Heavenly Sword: I'm glad about the Iroh bit (the tea scene made me smile), and I'm always happy to hear I write the characters in character. The problem with Zuko and Toph, though, is that they _are_ extremely stubborn, and I worry that the tapering off of their arguments may have come off a little forced. I can only hope that no one else thinks that's the case…and thank you!

XxLilyNGxX: Yeah, I agree that Toph would be naïve about the outside world. Far be it from that to stop her, though. Yes! Power to the Toph/Zuko shippers! We have started small, but hey, so did Zutara, and look how THAT caught on. I also like the idea of fire and earth benders getting along the same way as water and air…not to mention, it would make for a pretty interesting combination. Storms and volcanoes all around! Many thanks for reviewing!

ripplingthought: Yup, Toph and Zuko. Oh, the…something. Drama doesn't quite seem to be the right word. It is rather troublesome to write them interacting without anything to go on…then again, it's pretty entertaining, too. Getting them to get along is another story entirely…but thank you!

Rhinestone Wrapping Paper: The ostrich-horse thing was my favorite part, so I'm stoked that you liked it! Thank you so much, and yeah, Toph/Zuko interaction makes me a happily entertained little fangirl, too.

MysticAnime: The muse went on vacation and forgot leave a message, but it's okay, it's back now. I…sadly did give this pairing a lot of thought from the very beginning, but then again I'm obsessed with parallels. That, and their equal temperament amuses me. The Irate Wonder just seemed so appropriate…although Angst Boy is definitely accurate too. Thank you most of all, though, for the Plot Bunny offer—mine seem to run away en masse, so I may very well steal some of yours. Sigh.

Men or Memorex: Every review counts…and thus I do thank you for it. Here be another chapter, although my crappy planning will not allow me to tell you how many there shall be in total. If there were any magical devices to protect me from a further 'rosebush' incident, I would totally buy them. Perhaps a look on Ebay is in order…

sugarland31: Whoa…Irate Wonder, Boy Wonder…I'm a Teen Titans fan, too, and I'm beginning to wonder if that was an unconscious parody…go figure. Perhaps Zuko is a bit too temperamental, but keep in mind that he just got attacked by soldiers and thrown in a holding cell…hopefully he'll calm down eventually. But thank you for the advice/criticism! Abuse makes me happy when it teaches me ways to improve. Hehe.

itachi'smaniac: Hm…Zuph…It could catch on. Toph/Zuko is so much fun…and may the number of supporters continue to grow! PS. Thanks!

DancingPickle101: Dude. I love your pen name. And I'm sorry my…lateness has given you reason to use caps lock, but here be the update! …And I'm another one who doubts Azula is one for heartfelt conversation…it makes me happy to see dedicated people who review for every chapter. Thank you!

Kayanora: Thank you! …The ostrich-horse bit was honestly my favorite line…so I appreciate everyone who got a kick out of it. Yay!

demshia: Whoa. You have no idea how much you motivated me with your second review… You check daily? I am so amazingly flattered by that, you have no idea. You completely guilted me into updating faster…and helped me get over the evil writer's block. For this, you have my eternal gratitude.

…If I left anyone out, I will cry. But still, one final time…THANK YOU!

…If you are annoyed/bothered by the chronic thank you-fest…I'm emotional. I tend to go a bit crazy with gratitude and apologies.

And again with the long author's note…sigh.

Disclaimer: If the creators of Avatar procrastinated even half as much as I do, the fanbase would have killed them by now. I think it's safe to say that I don't own it.

_

* * *

The Many Forms of Silence_

Those Fire Nation soldiers were taking an _awfully_ long time to get their punishment taken care of, Toph reflected some odd thirty-five minutes later. Zuko had not uttered a word throughout the span of time, and pride prevented Toph from speaking as well. She wasn't about to lose _anything_—not even something as petty as a faux silence contest—to the stuck up bratty teenager situated only feet away from her.

Sigh.

Silence. Toph _hated_ silence. It was practically her equivalent to pitch-black darkness—well, at least when she was surrounded by something that _wasn't_ her beloved earth. The current situation, in fact, would be a prime example.

There was also her upbringing to consider. As an only child and an invalid, Toph had always been showered with the best of everything—toys, education (outside of earthbending and reading, that is), and the attention of her doting parents. Prisoner in her own household or not, she was used to getting her way. Even the Earth Rumble combatants had learned to respect her to a degree after she royally trounced them for the very first time.

…Well. After they'd gotten their jaws off the floor and recovered from their absolute incredulity, that is. Heh, those were some good times…

In any case, the girl was not especially pleased with the fact that her prison-mate was steadfastly ignoring her.

…

What on earth was keeping those idiot soldiers, anyway? They spoke of impending doom. _IMPENDING_ DOOM! She'd been waiting for over an hour, and the so-called _im_pending doom seemed to be _pending_ after all!

…Toph had never been very patient in those sorts of situations.

"I wonder what they're waiting for," she blurted out, suddenly willing to sacrifice a sliver of pride in exchange for information. Or at least conversation, anyway—she was beginning to descend into hysterics without it.

Silence. Apparently his _Highness_ wasn't ready to stop sulking yet. One of the earthbender's eyes twitched.

"Hey!" she shouted, striking a fist against one of the bars behind her and sending the metallic ring vibrating throughout the room. "I'm talking to _you_, Irate Wonder!"

"I know," he replied dully. The teen sighed, and then continued more resignedly, "They're probably waiting for _Azula_."

Something about the way he said the name sent a slight chill up Toph's spine. And no, it _wasn't_ just the sheer amount of loathing he managed to put into a single word.

"Who's Azula?"

…And the silence was back.

"_Hello_, you can't just answer one question and go back to ignoring me again!" she protested vehemently.

"Azula is…my sister," he answered finally, sounding reluctant at his choice of words.

Toph's brow furrowed with confusion. "Wait…isn't that a _good_ thi--"

"She's also a liar and a sadist," interrupted Zuko coldly.

"…Oh." The blind girl frowned. "So…this Azula girl is actually gonna let them keep her own brother in prison and torture you or whatever?"

"Yes. _Gladly._ She was charged with the task of capturing my uncle and me," he muttered bitterly.

"Wow. That's one messed up family you've got there."

…And now the _firebending_ silence was back. Oh, goody.

"So…why charge your sister with capturing you?" Toph asked quickly, hoping to avoid the return of rampant fire blasts.

"Azula is good at what she does. She's good at _anything_ she does." Yes, there was definitely some bitterness there.

"But what did _you_ do?"

"We're marked as traitors," the firebender replied shortly. Huh. No room for argument _there_, was there?

"Oh," she said a second time. Well, wasn't _he_ a little ray of sunshine? Toph's fingers drifted back to the metal bars, moving lightly from one bar to the next in an absent-minded search for the door. She really should be looking for a way out—not that she'd get very far if the metal floor extended beyond the room. Then again…

"Shouldn't you be trying to, y'know, escape?"

"I told you," Zuko snapped, sounding exasperated, "my flame isn't strong enough--"

"Yeah, I heard you the first time," the girl shot back rudely. "But still, there's gotta be other ways. I mean…"

"_What_ other ways? I'm _chained to the wall_." He shook the links to emphasize his point, and Toph wondered incredulously how she could have missed the sound earlier. She chose to blame her carelessness on the constant flames and Irate Wonder's _amazing _sulking abilities. "What are you, _blind_?"

The earthbender scowled darkly. "You got a problem with that!" she shouted, turning to face him and glaring with sightless eyes.

A rather dumbfounded silence followed.

"…Oh," the teen said, his voice uncharacteristically meek. "I…"

"Don't say it," Toph growled, suddenly regretting revealing her _impairment_ to her cellmate. "And stop looking at me like that!"

"There's no possible way for you to know how I'm looking at you--"

"There's only _one_ look," she spat, anger rising to the surface. "And I can tell that you've got it. I don't _need_ your pity."

Ew. They had descended into a pity-ridden silence now.

It almost made her miss the firebending.

"Look," she told her fellow prisoner harshly, "I can take care of myself just fine. I'm capable enough that I don't need anyone's help, and I _hate_ it when people feel sorry for me!" She shouted the last part and struck a fist into the ground in a fit of indignant rage. "So…so just stop it!"

There was a pause. And yes, at this point in a story during which there has been so many awkward periods of all-out silence, it must be stressed that it was, in fact, nothing more than a simple pause.

"…Okay," Zuko said finally, sounding somewhat abashed by her outburst.

Toph was unsure whether to be pleased about her victory or annoyed at the fact that someone so temperamental was taken aback by her ranting. She decided to set aside her indecision for another time to prevent the return of the insidious silence.

"People always look at me like I'm some weak helpless little nothing," she muttered, not particularly caring whether or not he actually heard. She continued talking mostly for her own benefit—to perpetuate the sound, and vent what was left of her long-standing anger about her blindness. "I might not to be able to _see_ it like you can, but it doesn't mean I can't still _feel_ it. The pity oozes off 'em in waves of sentimental sludge, and geez, listening to those stupid high-pitched sympathy voices talking to me like I'm _five_ doesn't help any. I'm plenty strong, and I'm plenty capable, and all pity does is make me feel like ten times the loser they seem to think I am."

"Doesn't it ever…bother you?" the teen asked suddenly with the faintest hint of curiosity, and frankly Toph was surprised he'd bothered listening to her at all.

She scrunched up her face in thought. "Nah, not really," she replied, after considering the question for a moment. "I guess other people would think it does, but…you can't really miss something you never _had_, right? And anyway, sitting around and moping about something you lost never did anyone any good. I just found ways of living without it, I guess." She grinned at the memory of the Earth Rumble competitions. "And I _definitely_ found ways to have fun without it."

Enter stage left: introspective silence.

Toph's eye twitched. "I don't know why you keep lapsing like that, but it's getting kind of annoying," she told Zuko caustically, after giving him a few moments to reflect on…whatever. "Either have a conversation or don't, okay? The quiet kind of makes me uncomfortable." She chewed her lip thoughtfully before adding, "I can't see with my eyes, but I can sorta see with vibrations, so the talking is pretty important to me."

"What are you, some kind of wolf-bat?"

Was that sarcasm or his missing sense of humor? She dwelled on the question for an instant, then shot back, "I don't mean _sound_ vibrations. That would just be _weird_. But when I've got both feet on good old-fashioned dirt, the vibrations through the ground can help me know where things are—actually, I don't think that has anything to do with sound, but being ignored really ticks me off."

"You're an earthbender." It wasn't a question, and the sudden wariness in his voice was quite plain.

"You think _that's_ suspicious? _I'm_ not the one being held captive by my own people." She frowned, forgetting the accusation as a new thought occurred to her. "Do you think they're gonna feed us? I mean, they could at least give us some tea or something."

"You sound like my uncle," the firebender commented wryly. Toph was somewhat impressed that he managed to get over his bout of suspicion so quickly.

She smirked. "Really? What's he like?"

"Occasionally, he can be nearly as irritating as you."

"I think I like him already."

And with a few short exchanges, the silence was laid to rest. Unsurprisingly, at least one of the prisoners was all too happy to bid it farewell.

* * *

I really, really hope that the ending resolution wasn't too abrupt, but I felt horrible about not getting this out sooner. As always, please review.

…

Three cheers for alternative pairings!

…I did say that right, didn't I?


	4. Of Fairy Tales and Therapeutic Violence

Hehe, okay, so, funny story…

…

All right, I have no excuse, unless you want to hear about my mad procrastination skillz and all the Classes from Hell I have this year. And I'd rather not bother you with that.

If it's any consolation, you are rewarded in that this chapter is a full PAGE longer than the others.

Oooooooooooooh.

And now, before I take the cheesiness too far, I have an announcement. The review…responsey…things…have been moved to the END of the chapter. I figured it was cruel enough that I made you wait this long; I wanted to spare you all that scrolling.

I have the typical 'tortured artist' syndrome…ergo, I hope you're all of the opinion that this chapter is a lot better than I think it is. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Okay, this is getting redundant. I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I never will. Inside, this makes me a little bit sad, but at least _I'm_ not the one saddled with all the responsibility…

* * *

_Of Fairy Tales and Therapeutic Violence_

"It was in his sleeve the _whole time_?" Toph giggled, nearly stuffing a fist in her mouth to muffle the sound from any prying ears. "Oh wow, _that_ must have gotten you pretty ticked off."

"You have _no_ idea," Zuko replied, no longer sounding nearly as annoyed as he should have. "I threw the stupid thing off the cliff."

"Aw, that's a shame," the earthbender commented benignly, calming herself down for appearance's sake. Mock sympathy wasn't nearly as effective when it was delivered by someone snickering like an idiot. "A Pai Sho player without a complete set is one sad, sad little Pai Sho player. Trust me," she added, rolling her eyes in memory, 'I know. My earthbending teacher was a real addict to the game for a while. I stole some of his pieces once and he went into serious withdrawal for over a week, so my dad ended up putting him off the stuff for good."

"The only thing my uncle would never part with is his _tea_." The teen sighed exasperatedly. "What did your teacher do to deserve it?" he inquired after a short swear and the clink of chains—she assumed yet another one of the boy's 'substitute lock-picks' (read: conveniently sized wood splinters he'd found heaven-knows-where within his cell) had broken before completing its appointed task during his brief pause.

Toph snorted derisively. "Oh, don't get me wrong, he was a good teacher. Then again, it's pretty hard to screw up when all you teach your student is the _same_ techniques and the _same_ breathing exercises over and over and _over_…" She flashed a diabolical smirk in his general direction. "And who's going to blame the blind girl? It was pretty simple—wander over to the Pai Sho table when the room's empty, pick up tile, insert in oversized sleeve, and wait until guards come and tell them I got lost. Repeat until desired results occur."

The pair had long ago lost track of how long they'd been talking; the only lapses in conversation were those rare moments when they were forced to fall silent at the intrusion of the occasional guard. Thus far, none of the men had stayed long, though one had left them food (rancid, lumpy, and unidentifiable goop that neither Zuko nor Toph had done much more than picked at). While this fortunately signified that the infamous Azula had yet to arrive at the scene, the few attempts at escape the two had formulated between topics proved fruitless and futile.

The talks themselves, on the other hand, were far from dull. Though Toph avoided explicitly mentioning the Avatar in the presence of a firebender, and Zuko himself was obviously editing events within his own tales, the earthbender was surprised to find herself enjoying the discussions. The teenager was caustic and wry more often than not—a welcome change from Katara's irritatingly sweet demeanor and Aang's happy-go-lucky attitude—without becoming whiny, as Sokka would.

That was not to say, of course, that he didn't complain. He did. He simply didn't _whine_.

It seemed that her fellow prisoner preferred ranting.

Well, it wasn't as though Toph couldn't relate to that. Her own life contained many events she was more than willing to rant about herself, and frankly the venting (along with the occasional jibes at Zuko for anything from melodrama to carelessness) was most likely the only thing keeping her sane.

…Oh, it wasn't as though they were prepared to link arms and skip merrily through a field of flowers or any such nonsense. Quite the contrary, in fact—Zuko was still forced to deal with a passionate tirade from his earthbending cellmate whenever he let slip a 'prejudiced' comment in regards to the girl's blindness, and Toph was fairly certain he'd singed her eyebrows off following her last smart remark. Still, she was grateful that the individual she'd been stuck with for the past few hours was at least someone she could _relate_ to.

"What do you _mean_, you don't like sports!"

…For the most part, anyway.

"I don't have _time_ for sports. I have enough to worry about—Azula and the Fire Nation, my uncle, Earth Kingdom soldiers, the A--" he wavered a little here, and Toph sensed the imminent arrival of an Edited Moment approaching, "…other things…"

Yep. Edited Moment. Right there.

She rolled her eyes and let it go. Previous experience had taught her that prying would only make the teen clam up for a minimum of five minutes. It just wasn't worth it.

"How can you not like _sports_? What kind of _guy_ doesn't like _fighting_?"

"Fighting isn't a _sport_!" Zuko protested vehemently. "_Fighting_ is a _necessity_ and an honorable means of settling an argument."

"Ha! Who're _you_ tryin' to fool?" She blew a few errant strands of hair out of her face before continuing. "Look, I don't know what comes to mind when _you_ think of fighting, but every game _I've _ever played has had _some_ kind of physical contact. Fighting is…fun."

"Ever heard of Agni Kai?" the firebender countered. His voice was oddly flat.

Toph winced. She had, and none of the descriptions were particularly pleasant. "…Oh. Well, yeah, I guess that would be pretty…intense." She regained her bearings. "Then again, have _you _ever heard of the Earth Rumble?"

"…I've heard of it," he replied wryly, in a tone suggesting that whatever he'd heard hadn't struck him as particularly impressive. "Are you a fan?"

"A fan? Nah." She took a brief moment to pause for dramatic effect, then flashed him an evil grin. "I'm a _participant_."

Zuko was silent for a moment, and Toph could only hope that the reason involved him becoming struck dumb with incredulity.

"What, don't you know about the Blind Bandit? You know, the _current champion_?" She waved a hand in front of her sightless eyes, still grinning maniacally. "Hello, the _Blind_ Bandit? I don't know if you noticed, but…"

"So you're a prodigy then." She noticed his inflection return to the dull, resentful tone he'd had when he'd mentioned Agni Kai. Not good. All the times prior to their current discussion he'd used that tone when mentioning his sister.

She gave the comment (though he'd made it sound more like an accusation than anything else) some thought before replying.

"I guess. I mean, I know I'm good at earthbending, but I kind of, y'know, need it to _see_. You can't blame me for just wanting to know what's in front of me." She frowned pensively. "I guess…part of it's just me wanting to get back at my parents. If they'd had it their way, I never would have gotten passed the basics. They were always too protective of me—I never had any friends, I never went out, they never invited any guests around my age to play with me because they were too worried about me getting injured. Somehow, they thought it was better that I was _miserable_. So, one day I got fed up…and started sneaking out of the house."

Toph shifted into a more comfortable position before continuing, a small smile gracing her face as she drifted back into her memories. "I didn't really mean to go to the Earth Rumble match, but I wanted a place where the guards wouldn't find me…and I kind of wanted to find out what the more advanced earthbending techniques were like.

Well…they weren't much. I volunteered to face the champion in that little hokey match they hold at the end of the tournament."

She laughed lightly and pantomimed flicking a little invisible man into the air. "POW! Out of the ring in thirty seconds flat. I think I gave some guy a heart attack. I'm pretty sure that was when I figured out that I could see their attacks _as_ they were making them. It gave me an advantage. _They_ were all too busy looking with their _eyes_ to feel the vibrations beneath their feet. Well, I signed up for the next tournament under an alias, and I've been winning ever since." The girl flashed her cellmate another grin. "Maybe it's not good for much, but hey, it's an excuse to beat up on a bunch of underdressed musclemen who refer to themselves in the third person, and nock 'em down a peg or two. What's wrong with that?"

"Well when you put it _that_ way…" Another sliver of wood snapped, and Zuko gave a small growl of frustration. At least that signified _some_ progress—the annoyance wasn't directed at her, after all. "You had no problem defying your parents like that?"

Toph's left eye twitched. _Again_ with the parental questions—the teen obviously had some issues with _his_ parents, or else he wouldn't be so hung up over the topic.

"Why should I? I love them and all, but if I'd stayed there any longer, I would have gone insane. My dad says he loves me, but he doesn't understand me at all." She narrowed sightless orbs. "He thinks I'm _weak_. He…almost said it once. He called me blind, and helpless, and fragile, but I knew what he meant. So I proved him otherwise. He _saw_ me beat all of the other combatants at the _same time_ and what did he do? He arranged for more security! He doesn't care whether I can defend myself or not, he just wants me under his thumb, like—like some _pet_ or something! So I left." She tilted her head to the side and fixed an aimless gaze in the general direction of Zuko's voice. "Okay, you heard my part. What's _your_ deal with your parents?"

The firebender was silent for a long moment, and Toph worried that she'd once again overstepped her boundaries and induced another paranoid fit of secrecy.

…Not that she could really talk about secrecy, being a companion of the Avatar and all.

"My mother disappeared when I was pretty young," he replied finally, the words coming slowly and reluctantly, as though he felt obligated to remember something he'd rather not. "And my father…he… I guess you could say had a…disagreement, and he…banished…me. I haven't seen him or my home in three years."

His words reminded him oddly of something she'd heard as a child.

"Exiled prince," the blind girl muttered softly to herself.

"_What_?" Zuko's response was far too sharp and suspicion-laced to be an average reaction to an erstwhile comment like hers. She mentally filed this away for later questions.

"Sorry. Just thinking aloud…my parents used to tell me bedtime stories when I was younger—fairy tales, mostly. They were pretty horrible—all of them were these perky, happy stories about _handsome_ men and _beautiful_ women who were so _strong_ and _smart_ and _noble_. The bad guy _always_ died in the end, and the wonderful couple _always_ lived happily ever after. I kinda started supporting the villain after a while…anyway, one of those common stories was the one about the misunderstood and valiant prince who gets banished from his country by his evil uncle or father or some other relative and goes on a quest to 'regain his honor' or whatever. And by the end, he's rescued the lovely captive princess from the evil wizard—who's in cahoots with his evil relative, of course—and regained the throne he rightfully deserves, before marrying the princess and, yeah, living happily ever after. Your whole parental issue just brought that to mind, I guess. Weird, huh?"

A pause. "…That was possibly the stupidest story I've ever heard," he told her dryly. "Don't _ever_ make that kind of comparison again. …Ever."

"Yeah, I'm guessing you're too scrawny to be the prince anyway," she shot back snidely.

"Whereas stunted, annoying princesses are so common in those stories."

"I'm not stunted, I'm twelve!" Toph protested. "And I wasn't comparing myself to anyone. I don't plan on ending up like one of those helpless floozies who can do amazing magical spells and are oh so intelligent, but can't even free themselves from the clutches of some evil moron. I can save myself."

There was a moment of silence as both of them processed that last sentence.

"You're in a _prison ce_--"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

REVIEW TIME! (GASP, it's in chronological order!)

Sifu Toph: I love your reviews. I really do. They're not only well written, but so simultaneously flattering and depressing that I'm not sure whether to smile or cry. I apologize for taking so long, but I appreciate your patience and I'm extremely, incredibly glad that you still think I'm keeping them in character. As for Azula…well, I'm still not quite sure precisely how much dialogue there will be in regards to their confrontation—I'm intending it to be something of an action scene to follow all the semi-introspective dialogue. Still, they'll probably end up exchanging a few words. I doubt that they'll be kind words, but they shall be words nonetheless.

sugarland31: Heh, don't worry, I didn't mean 'abuse' in a negative way—I like critical advice, it means I can improve. …Or some such nonsense. Azula, being Azula, will enter with a bang—and leave covered in mud, ala The Drill if Toph has anything to say about it. As for Iroh…I'm still not sure whether or not this story takes place before or after he and Toph had their little chat, but I started it before that episode aired, so chances are they haven't met yet.

Hotspur: As I write this, you have twice as many chapters out as I do. …This depresses me. But, that has nothing to do with…well…anything. Again, I'm so glad you think Toph and Zuko are in character, and I'm flattered that you took special note of their reactions to each other in their conversation, especially in regards to Toph's blindness. I feel a bit guilty every time I read your reviews—you're so punctual, and if there's one thing I'm worse at than updating, it's reviewing. Oh, I read. Do I ever read. And I enjoy. A lot. I just always seem to overlook that little button there at the bottom, and I'm really, really grateful that you don't do the same. Sorry, and thank you so much!

Ethiopia P.M. Noctra: Hmm, has Zuko ever really been to Ba Sing Se before the recent episodes? I do try to update often…I don't know what happens in the transition… And I _am_ writing an original story, but I don't see it getting published…it would be nice if it did, though. I'm flattered that you think I'm capable of it. Thanks!

DancingPickle101: I'm glad you think so. Thank you!

storm-of-insanity: Thanks. I go a little crazy about the whole in character thing, so I feel so relieved to find that I really am writing them right.

Petitio Principii: Heh, I shall convert you to this pairing, just watch… I do so enjoy converting people. Thank goodness the blindness scene seemed natural… Hmm, _will_ Zuko mention his scar? I really don't know yet. Go figure.

karrafear: Another one I shall convert! It's high praise to get such an enthusiastic response from a non-pairing fan. …And the laughter. Laughter is always a good thing.

polka-dotted-pengiuns: Yay in character! May you have enjoyed this chapter as much as you did the previous three!

XxHunter The One and OnlyxX: Nothing wrong with demanding…it means you liked it, right?

Cyber Rellik: The "gang" will probably turn up for a little while at the end, along with Iroh. As for actual romance…well, there will be a few moments that I suppose you could call 'touching' (emotionally, anyway), but they really need to get to know one another a little better first…

Denisen: If only I could update sooner… Thanks for the cheers!

foreverlost101: Many thanks for the two-and-a-half cheers! Again, I'm happy you think they're in character, and yeah, sap really wouldn't be my thing even if I had attempted it… Mary Sues make me die a little inside, so I try to avoid original characters, except in the case of plot development (such as the random soldiers from chapter one!) or maybe children in a future fic…

demshia: Wow, first you motivate, and now you read the chapter at two in the morning? You…are so dedicated. And that just floors me. Thank you ever so much.

Zoebabii328: Sorry, it's not soon, but I did update… And I'm shocked how many people said that about my story. Thanks a million!

DarkerSpirit: Thank you, and oh, I hope you're as patient as you are enthusiastic.

Tortured Artist: Again, you compliment down to the wording…wow. I do try to create my own writing style, but I've never thought of it as poetic before…thank you! And thanks for the advice about the dialogue—I try to add in gestures and whatnot here and there, but there should be a little more actual action at the end of the next chapter. …I hope it doesn't start dragging before then…

Jesus.Lives: Oooh, you're one of those people that reviews every chapter. Boy am I ever grateful for that. Hmm, it really was a little abrupt…but hopefully things will sail a bit more smoothly now that they're in an actual conversation…

The O.W.M.I.N.: A script writer? A SCRIPT WRITER! Uh…wow. I wish I were…and that's probably one of the biggest compliments I could get. But alas, like you, I am only a scarily dedicated fan with a few wacky ideas.

CyanIllusions: YES! May our fandom continue to grow! I have updated…late though it may be.

itachi'smaniac: Does it ever! And I do love your Itachi smiley face.

Earthbender 2006: Yay for the A! Alas, it isn't that I forget a story, so much as I don't have the time/inspiration to update it. And I'm glad you interpret Toph's attitude towards her blindness the same way I do.

StarlightDemonFiresong: Yes! I have converted yet another…I think! I've always thought they could have pretty interesting conversations if they ever actually MET…

Nocturnalwitch: Aaaah, I hope I haven't killed you! Thank you for the compliments!

apple.elixer: To think I briefly worried about that line…Microsoft Word says that 'immatureness' IS a word! Go figure. And may we contamin—spread voluntarily the love as far as it may reach in the Avatar fandom!

And now, as one last, final hurrah…THANK YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH!

Reviews are my lifesblood. Oh yes they are. And please reassure me that the fairy tale part didn't turn out too contrived…


	5. A Matter of Trust

You know, this may have been the first story I posted under this name, but this wasn't the first account I had on this here site. No, way, way, back in the day I had a different name, and when my first story on that account reached its fifth chapter, it had the _exact_ same number of reviews this one currently has.

Minus two.

Divided by ten.

…Which, as I post this chapter, would be twelve, if you were at all wondering. And that would be the reason I changed names. But I digress.

I am so unbelievably proud of how well this story has done, and I thank each and every one of you reviewers. You are truly awesome people. Power to you. I'd give each and every one of you suffocating hugs if I ever met you in person, but that would probably be slightly creepy.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

But yeah, now that I've mentioned that and established that I'm not dead, here's chapter five.

Disclaimer: Sorry, not feeling too creative right now, but just know that I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

_

* * *

A Matter of Trust_

The silence was back, but Toph was too busy stewing in a combination of annoyance and embarrassment to notice. All right, she'd left herself wide open for that one, but the fact that she hadn't (metaphorically) seen it coming stung her pride a bit.

Zuko, being (as they had previously established) rather fond of brooding in his own right, seemed to more or less accept the silence, lost in his own thoughts.

…Not that _Toph_ cared.

Of _course_ she didn't.

The earthbender wrinkled her nose and berated herself for even considering it.

She shifted her weight, working out the kinks in her back that came inevitably from spending her time leaning against metal bars, and was struck (not for the first time, as she had been doing this every half hour or so) by how cold the room was. Ironic, really, considering it was a _Fire Nation_ ship.

"Your hair!" Zuko blurted out suddenly, as though it were some sort of epiphany.

Toph started and slammed her head against the bars, biting back an exclamation of pain. "Ah wah? A little _warning_ next time, please!" she shouted, wincing as she felt the lump forming where her head had struck. "Sheesh."

She took a moment to nurse her injury as the firebender pointedly avoided giving her an apology.

"What about my hair?" she asked finally, gently resting her head back against the bars; for all the good it did, as a bolt of agony tore through her skull regardless the moment the bruise (she _hoped_ it was only a bruise) touched the metal.

Toph was either far stronger or her head far weaker than she gave herself credit for.

"Your…" Zuko paused, sounding uncertain. There was a pause as he seemed to sort out exactly what it was he wanted to say. "…Your bun…thing," he finished lamely.

Oh, so he was making fun of her hair, now, was he? Well, she'd show _him_—

"Isn't it held up with pins?"

Toph blinked in abject confusion as his question crash landed smack-dab in the middle of her train of thought. What did _that_ have to do with anything?

…Oh. Right! Why hadn't she thought of that?

Two points to the Irate Wonder.

The blind girl dug her fingers into her hair, feeling around for the hairpins buried somewhere at the heart of her bun and wincing every time they came in contact with her new 'battle scar' instead. Slowly, carefully, she began removing them.

The process was not a pleasant one. Toph, for obvious reasons, wasn't one to normally bother going through great lengths with her looks, and the pins quickly became entangled with the countless snarls and knots she'd been too lazy to comb out the previous morning. The ordeal took several minutes to complete, and at the end of it the earthbender's scalp was quite sore. She flung the pins at Zuko unceremoniously, listening with satisfaction to the high-pitched peal of the dastardly objects hitting the floor and the teenager's frustrated curses.

"You could've just handed them to me," he snapped, irritability finding its way back into his tone at last as he presumably began gathering the pins up from their various landing points. She grinned.

"…Yeah…" she agreed. "I probably could've."

The words Zuko muttered under his breath following her comment did not sound particularly flattering.

Then again, his reaction only made her grin even wider. Served him right for…well, being right.

Most likely, her relief had something to do with her lightened mood as well. Toph's hair, she was certain, was a vicious sentient beast in it of itself, and anything able to tame that monster could surely stand up to the metal locks far better than the splinters had. It was only a matter of time before Zuko freed himself. And then…

Then…

Then what?

"Do we actually have a plan for when we get out of here?" she pointed out to her cellmate cautiously.

The quiet clicking paused as Zuko considered.

"Do we need one?" he asked finally.

Toph rolled her eyes. _Men_.

"Of course we need one!" she shouted. "I mean, we'll want to avoid the guards, and find the exit, and get out of here in one piece, won't we?"

"I know _that_," he shot back impatiently. "But I wasn't exactly conscious when they carried me in here, and I can't plan ahead for something I've never laid eyes on."

"There's got to be something we can do," Toph insisted.

"I've tried planning. Improvising seems to work better," he replied shortly. "Although, if you still think it's a necessity, feel free to plan one out while you wait. It could be a while."

She frowned deeply. "Why's that?"

There was a second pause. This one, it seemed, was going to last quite a bit longer than its predecessor.

The earthbender waited two minutes before cracking.

"Why's that?" she asked again sharply.

The teenager sighed. "I've…never actually done this before," he admitted reluctantly.

This time, it was Toph's temper that flared. "_What? _What do you _mean_ you've never done this before? Couldn't you have mentioned that a little _sooner?_ What'd you do to escape in the past then? We're trapped in here, aren't we! I want my pins back!"

"I'll figure it out!" he shouted, before calming down. "I've always had my broadswords to take care of this in the past…"

"And you're surprised they took them away from you?" she shot back, her hands curling into fists. Her mood had taken a quick dive with Zuko's confession. "You're a fugitive; I'm amazed they even let you wander around on the streets with them!"

Considering how quickly he rose to the challenge, it seemed the firebender wasn't much happier than she was. "Do you really think I kept them out in plain view?" he snapped. "I barely even showed them to my own uncle, let alone civilians."

Toph let out a huff of exasperation. "You and your stupid trust issues," she muttered, her ire nearly in full swing. She knew she was getting them off topic, but since it didn't look like _Wonder Boy_ was springing them loose anyway, she didn't see why it mattered.

"Trust issues?" Zuko repeated incredulously. "My own people have me locked in a prison, my _sister_ is coming to torture me personally, my father _banished_ me—and I have _trust issues_? You have _no idea_ what I've been through!"

"Yeah, well you have no idea what I've been through either!" the blind girl shouted, standing with clenched fists and a narrowed glare in the direction of Zuko's voice. "All my life I've been coddled and babied and I hate it! My family treated me like a porcelain doll, not a human being!"

"They treated you more like a human being than my family ever did," the firebender spat. "My father, my sister…they disregard me completely! I've worked hard to make it where I am, and just because they don't believe I have any talent--"

"Yeah, well, I do, and they disregard me anyway! It was never about my blindness, it was about keeping daddy's little girl under his thumb! If I could leave him again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I deserve to become my own person, don't I? And they think I'm the blind one? Why can't they just see that! Why is it _so hard_ for them to just understand me?"

Zuko laughed derisively, the sound cold and unnaturally hollow within the confines of their cells. "You've had it _easy_ compared to me. You've had your friends at your side, the support of everyone you've come across, and the benefits of your title to help you out, whether you ran away from your responsibilities or not. Do you know what I've had to deal with? I have no allies, no friends; my own country won't support me and everyone else sees me as a threat! If it weren't for my uncle, I'd be completely alone. I have no way of winning! My father refuses to acknowledge me until I capture that wretched Avatar, but how does he expect me to do that when everyone in the _world_ is against me? My honor, my throne, my family—I'm going against impossible odds not to lose everything to that heartless prodigy _witch_ I call a sister and--"

Click.

Clang.

Zuko quieted. Toph blinked.

"Was that…?"

"…Yeah." The teenager sounded amazed.

"But how'd you…?"

"I don't remember. But it shouldn't be too difficult to figure it out now."

The silence stretched between the pair like a bottomless chasm.

Toph spoke cautiously. "About what you said…"

The firebender coughed. "Yeah. I said a lot of things I shouldn't have."

"Then you really are…?"

He didn't answer.

That, of course, was all the answer she really needed.

She felt the tension leave her, her knees slowly buckling beneath her as she leaned back against the bars and slumped back on the ground with a heavy sigh. "Were you really planning on taking me with you at all? Or were you just going to break free and lose the _liability_?"

Silence. Toph felt her heart drop in disappointment. For all his flaws, she thought she'd judged him better than that.

"I see," she said quietly.

"…Do you trust me?"

Toph started. "What?"

"Do you trust me?"

The blind girl opened her mouth in confusion, brow furrowed in thought. The question had caught her off guard.

_Did_ she?

She had at the beginning of their ordeal; he was hot-tempered, strong-minded, quick to act, and unrightfully alienated by his family—all things she could readily relate to. Similarities, however, were one thing, and beliefs quite another.

He was Fire Nation. Fine. There was at least one case of a deserter from the firebenders' ranks, and they _had_ thrown him into a cell with her.

He was the Fire Lord's _son_. Now, that was something completely different. The Fire Lord was a tyrant, and Zuko his heir. Despite all Zuko had seen and gone through, he still wanted to return to his father's side, and that was reason enough to be wary, without considering the matter of Aang. The Avatar had rescued her, and he and his friends had accepted her into their little group without thought. She really had grown fond of them, and anyone willing to put the airbender and his entourage in captivity was definitely not worth trusting.

Then again, above all things, the Fire Prince seemed a little…lost.

Toph blinked once, opened her mouth, closed it again, and gave it another minute of thought.

In the end, it all boiled down to one question.

"Do _you_ trust _me_?" the earthbender replied pointedly.

Zuko didn't hesitate.

"Can I?" the firebender asked softly.

Toph's heart sank all the way into the metal floor. "Fine," she muttered. "I can take a hint."

The time after that was spent in silence, Zuko working busily on the remaining lock and Toph half-heartedly trying to form her own escape plan.

She didn't realize how much the conversations had done to keep her occupied until she realized she'd drifted off.

The blind girl awoke to the sounds of struggles and muffled cursing. It seemed the Fire Prince was making his grand exit. Her insides twisted again.

How was she going to get out of here?

The muted battle carried on for what seemed like hours, before a particularly painful-sounding thump sounded throughout the room, and one body fell to the ground. Toph sighed.

Like it mattered who won anymore.

Bah. She didn't care. Maybe the hot-head got what he deserved, and it was the guard who'd emerged victorious.

Footsteps headed purposely, stealthily, in the direction of the door, and Toph wondered who she was trying to fool.

He really was leaving her. Jerk.

She opened her mouth, adamant that she would have one last word to shout to the Irate Wonder's retreating back.

Oh, she was going to get him good, curse him for leaving her there, give him a passing wise-guy remark he'd never forget, a phrase that would have him feeling guilty years later for leaving her, something that would make him realize how much he was going to regret this—

"Good luck."

…Or that.

Where had that come from? Toph felt her face flush in embarrassment and buried her head in her arms.

Ugh, when had she become so _soft_? Even Aang and Katara weren't _that_ bad. …Usually.

So caught up was she in her shame that she failed to keep track of the Fire Prince. Then again, perhaps he'd already made his way out of the fortress by now for all she knew. Why should she care?

The metallic screech of her opening cell door, nevertheless, did not fail to catch her attention. A calloused hand, larger than hers and unnaturally warm, slid into her own, and despite her blindness she couldn't help but look up.

No. Way.

"Well? _Do_ you trust me?" he repeated again wryly.

Toph grinned at him, relief and excitement for their escape-to-be coursing through her veins and every nerve tingling in anticipation for battle.

"Let's do it!"

* * *

Biology is not a subject, it is a small, parasitic creature that latches on to the brains of eager students and sucks them dry. Anything sub-par about this chapter (i.e., the vaguely repetitive wangst-off) I blame not only on lack of new Avatar but on my biology, which slowly leeched me of all brainpower even as I struggled to finish this sucker. So, while I can no longer remember my own name, I can now tell you just what cholecystokinin is. Don't worry, spell check doesn't know either.

And I really am sorry it took so long, but I've had the bio-leech, and busy schedules, and writer's block, and of course the moment I got in the mood to finally write this chapter…I got sick. Hooray.

The review responses are also conspicuously absent, for I was told by several people that they weren't allowed…or something. Does anyone know if that's true? Until I know, I guess I'll message or email anyone who wants a response…yeah.

I am tired. And brain dead. And…bleh.

May this have been at least fractionally worth the wait anyway!

Yeah, it's bedtime for me.


End file.
